Railway-tie.



/ N0;-791,7 27. v P-ATENTED JUNE 6, 1905. J. SLADE.

RAILWAY TIE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20. 1905.

Patented June 6, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN SLADE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,727, dated June 6, 1905.

Applioation'filed January 20,1905. Serial No 241,999.

To all whom, it may concern.

Be it known that I,JONATHAN SLADE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Ties, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which corresponding letters of reference in the different figures indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to rovide a simple, durable, and effective meta railwaytie by joining together two or more beams or rails placed parallel to each other and con nected-with each other at the places where the rails cross by means of suitable clamping and connecting members which may serve not only to connect the tie members, but as a gage in placing'the track-rails. While any form of structural beams commonly'known as I-beams may be used,- Iprefer to em ploy old railway-rails cut to the proper length, therebygreatly reducing the cost.

- A further object is to provide special means for preventing the members forming the tie from spreading at the bottom from the peculiar strain placed thereon as a result of tam ing the tie.

Y To t ese ends my nvention consists in the,

combination of elements hereinafter more particularly described, and definitely pointed out in the claims;

. In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a railway-tie embodying the features ofmy invention and showing portions of rails attached thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional viewthereof, taken upon the line 2,

' Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown. -Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken upon the line 3, Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a railway-tie embodying a modification of said invention, showing portions of railsattached thereto. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken upon the'line 5 Fig. A, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown; and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken upon the-line'6,'Fig. '5, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown.

Referring to the drawings, a a re resent two beams of structural iron or steel, aving oppositely -extended flanges or expanded portions at the bottom and top, respectively, as shown in'cross-section, substantially in the form of what is known as an I-beam, but preferably made from ordinary railwayrails. Said beams or rails are of the length of the usual railway-tie and are placed par allel to but slightly separated from each other, as shown. Between said. beams and at a distance from each other, conforming substantially to the distance from each other of the track-rails, I interpose fittings or couplings, (generally designated by b.) Each of said fittings consists, by preference, of a hollow sheet-metal form having an exterior contour adapted to fit-within the longitudinal channels in the sides of the beams or parts a, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The fittings b are adapted to position the beams and hold them at the proper distance from each other, in which positions they are maintained by means of coupling-bolts 0, passed through bores in the parts a and band secured by means of a nut d, which serves to press the partsa against the inter osed fitting b. The connection-bolts c are'p aced beneath and in substantial alinement with the 1 track-rails c e, which rest upon the tops of the-beams a a and in contact with the upper face of the part b. The length of thefitting b is preferably about twice the width of the bottom or flanged portion of the track-rail e and is provided with an upwardly and inwardly bent flange f, Figs. 1 and 2. which overlaps one flange of the track rail; Upon the opposite side of the traclcrail from the flange f and coacting therewith to hold the rail in place is a clip g, formed to fit the flange of the rail, which clip is rigidly attached to the part b by means of a bolt h. It is imma terial upon which side of the track-rail the parts f and g are placed; but I prefer to alternately reverse them-that is to say, that if the parts f are placed upon the inside of the track-rails upon one tie, that upon the next, they be placed upon the outside, and so on.

' From the foregoing-it will be seen that each pair of connected beams form a tie with the rail-fastenings properly gaged for the placing of the rail, and in laying the track, it is only necessary to place the rail against the flan es f and bolt the clips in position.

ing train would tend to spread the elements I provide a sheeta at the bottom, thereby exerting an excessive strain upon the bolts 0. In order to overcome this very objectionable tendency, metal clamp "l, which is placed beneath the bottom of the parts a a and thence bent upwardly and inwardly over the outer flange of each, when the ends j, which are perforated, are secured rigidly in place by means of the bolts 0. This construction completely overcomes any tendency of the tie members or elements to spread at the bottom as a result of tamping the ties and relieves the bolts 0 from the strain and prying action thereon which would otherwise result. I

In Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, I have shown a modification of said invention which consists in substituting Lbeams is for the rails (a and a solid block of wood Z for the hollow metal fitting b, which is made to fit the side channels of the parts a, the latter being bolted together by means of the bolts 0, which latter are supplemented by the clamps i in the same manner as when the fittings b are used. In the modified construction in lieu of the plate I) a metal plate m is placed upon the top of the beams a a and bent downwardly and inwardly upon opposite sides thereof, as shown at n n, Fig. 6. Flanges 0 0, Figs. 4 and 5, are bent inwardly from the part m to engage the rail-flange, while the clip p is in engagement with the opposite rail-flange and secured by means of a wood-screw q, extending into the block Z. A like wood-screw may be inserted through a perforation r to secure the plate upon the opposite side of the rail.

One of the important advantages of my improved tie is that it may be made from old track-rails whose ends have been so battered as to render them unfit for further use in that capacity. Other advantages are its strength, durability, and the manifest facility and accuracy afforded thereby for attaching the track-rails thereto.

While I prefer to employ two parallel beams joined together in the manner described to form a single tie, I do not wish to be confined to that number, as it is obvious that a larger number may be used when required and connected in a similar manner, nor do I wish to be limited to any specific shape thereof in cross-section, provided they have longitudinal side channels for the reception of connecting elementsor fittings.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim 1. A railway-tie of the class described, consisting of parallel metal beams havinglongitudinal side channels, interposed fittings between them for engaging said channels to separate or position said beams, means for connecting the track-rails with said fittings, means for rigidly connecting said )arallel beams with said fittings, and a metal clamp arranged to pass beneath said beams for engaging and linking their outer flanges to prevent them from spreading.

2. A railway-tie in which are combined parallel metal beams, of the class described, anchor-fittings interposed between said beams to fit the channels in the latter while bridging the space between them at the top, bolts passing through said beams and fittings, means connected with said fittings for engaging the flanges of the track-rails, and a metal clamp arranged to pass beneath said beams and around their outer flanges, said clam is being secured in )osition by means of said )olts.

3. A railway-tie in which are combined parallel metal beams of the class described, anchor-fittings formed from sheet metal in terposed between said beams in positions res ectively corresponding to the positions of tlie track-rails, said fittings being formed to fit the channels of said beams while bridging the space between them at the top, bolts passing transversely through said beams and littings, an integral flange upon each fitting to engage one flange of the track-rail, a detachable clip for engaging the opposite flange, and means for rigidly attaching said clip to said fitting.

4. A railway-tie, in which are combined parallel metal beams having longitudinal side channels, anchor-fittings formed from sheet metal interposed between said beams in positions respectively corresponding to the positions of the track-rails, said fittings being formed to fit the channels of said beams while bridging the space between them at the top, an integral flange upon each fitting to engage one flange of the track-rail, a detachable clip for engaging the opposite flange, means forrigidly attaching said clip to said fitting, metal clamps arranged to pass beneath said beams to couple the latter at the bottom, and bolts arranged to pass transversely through said beams, fitting and clamps.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 17th day of January, 1905.

JONATHAN siJAmc.

Witnesses D. H. FLETCHER, C RRIE E. JORDAN. 

